Pillar of Yita

The two plugin categories have evolved so vastly that countless derivative models exist, and their basic models boast astonishing production quantities. No one could possibly tally how many of these two plugin types have been made by Alchemists in Eteliria thus far.

It would likely be an astronomical number.

For Alchemists, these two kinds of plugins are part of a lifetime’s memory. Most Alchemists, including Fang Hong, start practicing making these during their apprenticeship. The advanced models are installed on top-tier Constructs and Magic Guided Conductors in the Second World.

Of course, compared to those later derivative models, the Swift Burst Plugin VI type has a rather ancient history. But for an Alchemist who has just surpassed Level 20, it indeed represents considerable difficulty.

The greatest challenge lies in the assignment of Extreme Value Attributes.

Unlike those Magic Guided Conductors with fixed attributes, the attributes of the Swift Burst Plugin itself are dynamic. When activated, the high attribute bonus fluctuates depending on the Magic Power the Magic Guided Reactor inputs and the overload capacity of the Magic Guided Reactor along with the Main Crystal.

And the maximum upper limit of this fluctuating value is much harder to achieve than a fixed value attribute.

In fact, the challenge posed by these basic plugins tests the fundamental skills of a craftsman significantly. Engraved Arrays, material purification, Magic Power output, connecting Structural Points, and the final assembly — any slight deviation in these steps can affect the final result.

When these minor mistakes accumulate, they can exponentially magnify the differences in the finished plugin product.

So, through repeated experimentation, Alchemists generally obtain one or two small masterworks with full attribute values among hundreds of products manufactured. Yet obtaining Extreme Value Attributes in plugins like the Swift Burst Plugin is as probable as acquiring multi-attribute Equipment.

There’s even a certain element of luck involved.

However, luck only plays a partial role. Without striving for extreme values, the disparity in skill level among different craftsmen on these basic plugins can be magnified a hundredfold. That’s why Ragnarok’s choice of such a theme was surprising.

After all, the skill disparity between the two teams is visible to the naked eye. Choosing a high-difficulty theme doesn’t narrow the gap but instead widens the score margin.

The officials in the livestream couldn’t offer any reasons, merely obfuscating that Ragnarok might have some other consideration, leading to a barrage of criticism naturally.

In this round of competition, it was Cui Yu on the Ragnarok side, with Elite fielding a player who appeared quite reserved. They shook hands briefly and returned to their positions to start preparing tools and materials.

This scene left the audience somewhat disappointed. What they wanted to see was a heated competition, just like the first round. Unfortunately, the lead players didn’t even greet each other during the second round, making this third round even more lackluster—

Though the Alchemists from Elfendo aptly used Projection Crystals to give close-ups of the two contestants on stage, for most of the audience, such professional competitions were merely for entertainment.

Many came solely for the spectacle of the Silver Weslan Princess and Virus, the ’Unsmiling Goddess,’ really without understanding Alchemy at all.

Thus, the arena became a bit silent, with only the ding-dong sounds of the two contestants crafting.

Despite the Invokers generally using the Artisan System being mainstream, the Continental League has its special rules. In crafting some basic materials, it requires craftsmen to use traditional methods. This is a result of skewing towards Invoker participants in recent years, whereas the early Continental League was truly a ’hardcore’ competition, absolutely banning the use of Magic Furnace and Artisan System.

Some veteran spectators of the Continental League are quite nostalgic about the old days, viewing the current rule changes as a heresy, a result of ’disrespecting native’ craftsmen. Yet the tide of history moves forward without regard for some individual’s opinions.

Even the Artisan Association from various countries hasn’t said anything, making the spectators’ views even less significant.

After all, Invokers have gradually become mainstream in various aspects of Eteliria.

Initially, the contestants showed no significant disparities, though it was visible that Ragnarok’s Cui Yu was notably worse off in fundamental skills compared to Elite’s Evan. Evan took about one minute to finish all the preparatory work, whereas Cui Yu took nearly three minutes. Naturally, this was an advantage, as time spent is scored in the competition.

After the preparatory work, they displayed a clear difference in crafting style.

In the livestream room, Wandering Mare was the first to notice this point.

Simply put, it was complex versus concise—

Evan’s crafting style was evidently smooth-flowing. Spectators could clearly feel that this kind of basic plugin had been crafted countless times in his hands, with all steps seamlessly executed: Engraved Arrays, refinement, crafting, and assembly in a single unbroken flow.

To casual viewers, this even seemed captivating.

Without comparison, there is no harm. Compared to Evan’s pleasant approach, the other side was somewhat unbearable to watch.

To say it nicely, Cui Yu’s current crafting was complex in procedure—

In harsher words, it was simply slow.

And under the watch of thousands of eyes in the square, it wasn’t just a little slow; it was excruciatingly slow. Clearly, the steps Evan completed with a few simple actions took Cui Yu a tedious amount of inexplicable preparatory work to address, moving cautiously like an elderly person, painstakingly completing it.

The execution didn’t seem to be crafting a Magic Guided Conductor, but more like performing a bizarre ritual.

Evan soon completed his work.

The staff announced the time: six minutes and twenty-one seconds. And at that moment, Cui Yu was not even halfway through his process—at first, people might have had some patience, but after a while, there were inevitable booing sounds from the square.

Off-stage, Mulan and Hawk-Beak Bean were a bit tense, subconsciously clenching their fists.

However, Soul Fingerprint turned to see Fang Hong’s calm demeanor, clearly having confidence in Cui Yu.

His confidence was not unfounded; each of Cui Yu’s steps was within his expectation. Slow, simply because it’s unfamiliar, but overall harmless with no major mistakes.

In Alchemist competitions, the work’s final outcome speaks the loudest; speed and spectacle are always secondary.

And at that moment, Cui Yu finally put down the plugin—not yet declaring his work completed, nor summoning the staff for inspection, but took a step back and raised his right hand donned with Alchemy Gloves.

Without uttering a word, he silently felt the ether flowing in his Magic Guided Reactor, then gently made a mark.

At that instant, a soft golden glow flickered across the workstation.

Most people did not catch this detail.

Only in the private booth, the elderly Old Speaker of Elfendo suddenly knocked over his chair, incredulously rising from his seat, his earlier dazed look swept aside.

He pressed his hands on the table, gazing intensely at the scene unfolding on the stage.

Not far away, Phales similarly sprang up from his seat.

”Ancient Alchemy!”

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